Recently, the Ukrainian Air Force has received several pieces of good news. Firstly, the Mirage 2000 provided by France has been put into service, and the early warning aircraft provided by Sweden is also set to arrive on the battlefield. Meanwhile, a Russian fighter-bomber was ambushed by Ukrainian special forces and shot down.
The video footage we are seeing, released on March 23rd, shows a Russian fighter jet flying low in the sky, clearly hit by a portable missile from Ukraine, resulting in a raging fire. The downed fighter-bomber is likely to be the Su-34 “Fullback.” Reports also suggest that at least four helicopters were shot down as well, but as of now, this information remains unconfirmed, and even the aircraft models cannot be verified.
This is not the only Russian fighter aircraft that has been lost recently. A Russian Su-34 experienced mechanical failure while landing at a Russian airport, with the landing gear failing to open, leading to the aircraft performing a belly landing. Although the experienced pilot successfully landed the fighter aircraft, the significant friction between the belly of the aircraft and the ground indicates that it will likely require extensive repairs.
Just a week before, there were reports from the Russian side claiming that Russia had shot down an American F-16 fighter jet for the first time in the Sumy region. However, President Zelensky stated in a press conference that Russia had never shot down an F-16, and more F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine.
The F-16 fighter jets arrived in Ukraine in August 2024. The Netherlands plans to deliver 24 fighter jets to Ukraine, Denmark has committed to providing 19, Norway promises 6 to 22, and Belgium has also supplied a certain number of F-16 fighter jets.
The F-16 fighter jets have been in actual combat for over half a year. The video footage we are currently witnessing depicts the Ukrainian Air Force using F-16 fighter jets flying over the border city of Sumy.
In another video segment, a Ukrainian F-16 flying at ultra-low altitude is seen carrying two external fuel tanks and an AN/ALQ-3 electronic warfare system. It appears that the Ukrainian Air Force has become quite proficient in operating the F-16 fighter jets.
In addition to the F-16, the Ukrainian Air Force has also been using the Mirage 2000 fighter jets provided by France in combat operations. The Mirage 2000 from France arrived in Ukraine in early February. On March 7th, Russia launched a large-scale air raid on Ukraine, firing a total of 67 missiles and deploying 194 drones, of which Ukraine successfully shot down 34 missiles and 100 drones; the Mirage 2000 and F-16 fighter jets were both involved in this operation.
For the F-16 to achieve maximum effectiveness, it needs to be paired with an early warning aircraft. Recently, the early warning aircraft provided by Sweden is also set to be delivered to Ukraine. The Swedish Ministry of Defence stated that the delivery schedule depends on when the modification of the Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets is completed to ensure system compatibility. Basically, the early warning aircraft from Sweden is ready for delivery, pending the completion of the F-16 modifications.
Back in May 2024, the Swedish Ministry of Defence announced its provision of the ASC 890 early warning aircraft to Ukraine. The aircraft is known by different names, with the most common being the Saab 340 early warning aircraft. The Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft is developed based on the Saab 340 passenger aircraft from Sweden.
Typically, early warning aircraft around the world use large transport aircraft as carriers, such as the E-3 AWACS used by the United States, which is developed from the Boeing 707 passenger aircraft. The early warning aircraft in China, such as the KJ-200, uses the Y-8 transport aircraft as its carrier.
It’s worth noting that the Swedish Saab 340 has a relatively small payload capacity. This twin-engined turboprop aircraft with a capacity of approximately 30 to 36 passengers first flew in 1983. The size limitations affect its power generation and radar volume.
However, the Saab 340 early warning aircraft utilizes the “Erieye” radar system developed by the Swedish company Ericsson, an active electronically scanned array radar capable of detecting targets up to 450 kilometers away and 425 kilometers for fighter-sized targets. Additionally, it has maritime surveillance capabilities and can track up to 300 targets simultaneously.
This radar system, being a “balance beam” radar, places a rectangular module on the aircraft’s spine, emitting beams on both sides for scanning, resulting in certain blind spots with scanning ranges of 150 degrees on each side of the aircraft. Detection performance is significantly reduced in front and behind the aircraft.
This radar system has been popular among many small and medium countries. In addition to Sweden, countries like the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan also equip this radar system.
This radar’s inception dates back to 1985 when the Saab Group in Sweden began its development. The active phased array radar module is 8.6 meters long by 600 millimeters wide, operating in the E/F bands with strong resistance to electronic interference.
After the development of the “Erieye,” Sweden currently employs the advanced variant of this radar known as the ASC 890, which includes operator consoles and three personnel: the mission commander, battle control operator, and surveillance operator. Despite not being part of the NATO system, Sweden’s weapon systems have always remained compatible with NATO systems.
To meet the ASC 890 standard, it must include the LINK 16 communication mode, a NATO standard. This means the Saab 340 can communicate with all NATO equipment equipped with LINK 16.
The Swedish early warning aircraft can transmit real-time air defense information and target data to operational F-16 fighter jets, aiding them in countering aerial threats and intercepting enemy targets.
Once the early warning aircraft arrives in Ukraine, it is likely to become a prime target for Russian attacks. Given Russia’s long-range cruise and ballistic missiles, the Swedish early warning aircraft may be stationed at airports in western Ukraine, necessitating periodic movement between different airports.
However, a benefit is the Saab 340’s compact size, allowing it to potentially utilize existing fortified air bases in Ukraine. In contrast, large AWACS aircraft like the American E-3 may be limited to staying on runways, making them vulnerable to Russian attacks. Hence, the advantages of a smaller aircraft cannot be overlooked.
Sweden has provided two Saab 340 early warning aircraft to Ukraine, where they can be used for long-range early warning around major cities like Kyiv, monitoring Russian drones and cruise missiles, or deploying them closer to the frontline to detect Russian bombers like the Su-34, to work in tandem with F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets, aiding Ukraine in regaining air superiority.